The Los Angeles Lakers certainly know how to build an NBA champion. However, recent seasons of front office management have developed a habit of giving the wrong types of players opportunities, plaguing the franchise as a result.
Sam Quinn of CBS Sports recently wrote up a ranking of all 30 NBA front offices. The Lakers came in at a lackluster 22nd overall.
There were several key issues, including the unclear hierarchy, pointed out by Quinn in his assessment. One lackluster component that undoubtedly stood out was the Lakers' approach to attempting at rekindling the flames on failed or expired experiments.
"They love bringing in former high draft picks who have flamed out elsewhere like Cam Reddish, Jaxson Hayes, or Mo Bamba," Quinn wrote. "They've similarly been late-career stops for veterans who are past their prime. This applies to most of the 2021-22 roster."
Lakers' problems have a clear fix in sight
One interesting note that Quinn pointed out in relation to the gambles on former high-end draft talent was a contrast to the Indiana Pacers' model. The Pacers, unlike the Lakers, seize opportunity to provide extra playing time to those young players who have had it denied.
Rob Pelinka and company have favored the approach of the one person everyone knows in their life that claims they can fix someone. As can often be the case, that strategy fails.
The handling of burnt out veterans is equally disappointing and can certainly have a similar analogy to the one above. People's imaginations are free to run wild with the latter.
So how do the Lakers overcome this? The easy answer is the one that has brought hope to every corner of Los Angeles since news of the Lakers' record-breaking sale was discovered. That would be Mark Walter.
The Los Angeles Lakers intended $10 billion sale to Mark Walter was approved by the Buss siblings through a majority vote, a source familiar with the situation told ESPN
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 19, 2025
Quinn, himself, also highlighted Walter as a point of optimism. The soon-to-be Lakers owner has an encouraging track record with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fans will just have to hope Walter's group gets enough sway behind closed doors to make the impactful changes that are needed.
One of those fixes should undoubtedly be to the pro-level scouting. Many of the troubles discussed above would be greatly neutralized, or at least limited, with an improved department in that key position.
Adding additional decision-makers has been thought of as an approach that could benefit the Lakers as well. However, as pointed out above, establishing a firm hierarchy in that front office would go just as far.
One way or another, these are problems that can be addressed. The Lakers may have suffered to this point because of those shortcomings. Despite that, anticipating a positive change is more than reasonable with everything set to transpire in Los Angeles over the coming years.